The Disney Fantasy is a â€œfraternal twinâ€ to the Disney Dream which launched in early 2011. Both cruise ships are 1,115-feet in length, with 1,250 staterooms and suites and 4,000-passenger capacity. And both are warm and welcoming, elegant and richly detailed â€“ harkening to the golden age of ocean-liner travel of the 1930s.

From the ceiling hangs a cascading chandelier, grand-yet-delicate, that flows downward from a massive stained-glass flourish on the ceiling in peacock hues of greens and blues. The chandelier itself is more than 10 feet in diameter, a one-of-a-kind work of art evoking a peacock in stained glass and crystal beads. The whole effect is continued in the rich carpeting underfoot.

There are places and experiences, services, dining and entertainment concepts that are hallmarks of the Disney Cruise Line experience. Hereâ€™s more of whatâ€™s in store during a Disney Fantasy cruise:

H2Ohhh!

When the Disney Dream launched, it boasted the first water coaster at sea, called Aqua Duck. A 765-foot long, twisting-and-turning scream machine, the get-wet attraction has been a huge hit with guests. So Disney Fantasy has Aqua Duck, too! Plus something new: AquaLab, a water play area where families can frolic among pop jets, geysers and bubblers. There also are separate pools for children, families and adults â€“ plus a special splash-and-play area for little ones.

Fitness has its places, too. Both inside at the Fitness Center and outside on Goofyâ€™s Sports Deck, guests can â€œwork out.â€ Among the facilities on the sports deck are a basketball court that can be configured into mini-soccer or volleyball courtâ€¦ and a walking track encircling the deck, perfect for those looking for a light â€“ and scenic â€“ workout. The Fitness Center is well-appointed with state-of-the-art cardio equipment and weight machines, and offers personal training sessions and instructional classes (yoga, Pilates, aerobics).

Fun and games

The nine-hole, Disney-themed miniature golf course isnâ€™t â€œjust plain Goofy.â€ It also stars Goofyâ€™s son, Max. The interactive holes emphasize various golfing lessons â€“ but, of course, with goofy twists. There are simulators that provide a variety of state-of-the-art virtual sports-gaming experiences, ping pong and foosball tables, and an arcade offering a variety of the latest interactive video games plus gaming classics such as pinball and air hockey.

Pampering and relaxation

Senses Spa & Salon offers therapeutic and beautifying personal care services for men and women in a retreat spanning two decks. It offers spa treatments, massages, body wraps, facials, aromatherapy, manicures, pedicures, hairstyling and blowouts, traditional menâ€™s grooming services and more. Thereâ€™s a â€œRelax Roomâ€ as well as a rainforest-themed aromatherapy steam room and sauna. While most of Senses Spa & Salon is for adult guests 18 and older, it includes Chill Spa â€“ a separate spa for teens offering a wide variety of spa services and treatments, including facials, massages and manicures.

Family dining

With â€œrotational diningâ€ serving up a changing menu of thematically magical restaurants, cuisines and mealtime experiences throughout the cruise, dinnertime is an adventure until itself. Royal Court, an exquisite dining room fit for a princess, and Animatorâ€™s Palate with it two different shows are just two of the venues that guests experience. But along with the ever-changing fun comes a constant: Guestsâ€™ wait staff rotates with them, sharing familiar smiles and knowing likes and needs on a first-name basis.

Adult dining

Adult couples and groups can reserve a dinnertime at two adult-exclusive restaurants â€“ Palo, specializing in Northern Italian cuisine with a contemporary twist, and Remy, the most upscale and romantic dining experience about Disney Fantasy and serving French-inspired cuisine. Both restaurants come with stunning ocean views, an upscale dress code befitting the ambiance, the need for advance reservations and an upcharge.

Shows and deck parties

Disney Fantasy-exclusive â€œWishesâ€ and â€œDisneyâ€™s Aladdin â€“ A Musical Spectacularâ€ are just part of the entertainment offerings in the lavish Walt Disney Theatre â€“ and at other locations as well. A high point is the evening the ship is transformed for piratical family fun including the deck party â€œMickeyâ€™s Pirates IN the Caribbeanâ€ and the fireworks spectacular â€œBuccaneer Blast,â€ featuring pyrotechnics choreographed to a dramatic musical score based on songs from the â€œPirates of the Caribbeanâ€ movies. There are other deck parties for sure â€¦ and movies galore, both on deck and in the Buena Vista Theatre, a chic cinema with plush stadium-style seats that screens first-run movies and digital 3-D films.

Techno-wizardry

On Disney Fantasy, reality includes jaw-dropping experiences resulting from 21st-century technology â€“ whether itâ€™s the young kids at Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab participating in fun and games on a huge, dynamic interactive floor alive with sights and sounds â€¦ or the family sitting together at a live performance during which great acting of a great story is enhanced by over-the-top effects â€¦ or the family settling down in an inside stateroom with a real-time view of the sea passing by outside via a â€œmagical porthole.â€

Private island

It wouldnâ€™t be an East Coast Disney cruise experience if each Disney Fantasy itinerary didnâ€™t include a day at Castaway Cay â€“ a port of call that guest comments suggest is the â€œbest stopâ€ of the cruise! Itâ€™s a day that can be filled with water fun, beach play or just plain relaxation plus cookout eating.

The Disney Fantasy will sail out of Port Canaveral on seven-night Caribbean itineraries â€“ alternating eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and western (Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel). Special Eastern Caribbean sailings in November and December 2012 stop at St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico. All Disney Fantasy itineraries include a stop at Disneyâ€™s private island, Castaway Cay.

Rates for the seven-night Caribbean cruise itineraries on the Disney Fantasy start at $959 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. All pricing reflects a category 11C standard inside stateroom, Government Taxes and Fees not included.